Is nuclear power needed to meet future demand?

On 16 September, Hitachi abandoned its plan to build a new nuclear power station in North Wales. Because of the high cost and length of time of building such a station, it raises the question as to whether any other nuclear power plants will be built in the UK other than Hinckley Point C in Somerset which has been under construction since 2014.

The advantage of renewable electricity sources that they are now much cheaper and much quicker to bring on line so installation can occur if demand increases.

As renewables can vary in intensity, there is an increased need for storage and the intriguing suggestion is whether the increase in electric vehicles with their batteries could be used to reinforce the grid.

Impact of climate crisis on UK weather is increasing

More extreme heat, less frost and snow with trees losing their leaves later in the autumn and coming into leaf earlier in the spring were amongst the signs last year of the climate crisis having an increased impact on the UK according to the Metrological Office’s annual report. New records were set for both the highest summer and winter temperatures

The Central England Temperature Series is the longest instrumental record in the world dating back to 1659. It reveals that the average temperature so far this century is 10.3C that is 1.6C higher than for 1659-1700.
[Guardian newspaper 31/07/2020]

Active travel England

On 27 July, this new Government Department was created to oversee the expenditure of £2 billion over the next 5 years, which local councils will be able to use to construct pavements and dedicated cycle paths. Painting a line on the road way to identify a lane for cyclists will no longer be allowed.

The rationale is not only to reduce motorised traffic, but also to reduce pollution and increase physical fitness and safety of cyclist and pedestrians.

Similar initiatives are being undertaken in other European countries as part of their green Covid 19 recovery package.

Carbon capture and storage

The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that carbon capture, utilisation and storage should be one of the key technologies in reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere. The technology works by injecting emissions from power stations or factories into an absorber containing a solvent which captures the CO2. The solvent can subsequently be heated to release the carbon which can then be safely stored while the solvent can be reused.

The technology has been slow to emerge and to date there are only 20 carbon capture projects in commercial use world wide at an average cost of ca $1 billion each.
[Guardian newspaper 24/09/2020]